NEW ENTRIES FOR 2016:
MOTO GUZZI V9 ROAMER AND BOBBER
AND V7 II STORNELLO
SPLENDID NEW PRODUCTS FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF THE EAGLE BRAND, WHICH CELEBRATES ITS 95TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR. THE MOTO GUZZI V9 ROAMER AND V9 BOBBER ARE MID-RANGE CUSTOM BIKES: HI-TECH, TOP QUALITY, EASY TO RIDE, THEIR CHARM IS IRRESISTIBLE. THE STORNELLO, A LEGENDARY GUZZI NAME, IS THE NEW “KNOBBY” VERSION OF THE V7 II, A VERSATILE TWO-WHEELER THAT CAN ALSO BE USED FOR SOFT OFF-ROAD RIDING
Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber Roamer
V9: MOTO GUZZI’S “UNIVERSAL” CUSTOM BIKE
Established in 1921 (and coming up for its 95th anniversary!), Moto Guzzi presents the V9,a lightweight, high-quality mid-range two-wheeler, heir to a 40-year custom tradition. The Moto Guzzi V9 opens a new product and displacement segment in the Mandello del Lario range, and is available in two completely different versions. The cheerful V9 Roamer is the more classic of the two models, the heir to the legendary Nevada, which kept its place in the catalogue for more than twenty years and was loved by devotees of all ages, male and female; the V9 Bobber is the darker sportier soul of Moto Guzzi, with its essential total black look and large tyres mounted on 16-inch rims.
The two new Moto Guzzi mid-range two-wheelers deliver exceptional construction quality and luxurious finishes: from the welding on the new frame to the painted metal tank, Moto Guzzi has spared no effort in setting new quality standards, making extensive use of noble materials such as aluminium. The smaller general measurements and lower saddle height from the ground make for easy riding and control, whether moving or stationary, facilitated by the overall weight of the V9, just 200 kg, a record in the category. The sleek, lightweight and entertaining chassis is matched with a completely new Moto Guzzi 850cc 2-valve 90° transverse V-twin engine, designed to maximise elasticity and torque, which delivers 62 Nm at just 3,000 rpm, guaranteeing personality, easy management and sparkling performance even at low revs. The two Moto Guzzi V9s offer a rich range of standard features: ABS, adjustable and deactivable traction control, immobilizer, USB port and full new instrumentation via a single circular dial.
The range of Moto Guzzi original accessories is exceptional, from the Moto Guzzi Multimedia Platform connecting the V9 to the rider’s smartphone, through to the extensive choice of personalisations for a truly custom bike (take a look at: www.garagemotoguzzi.com/en).
MOTO GUZZI V7 II STORNELLO: A GENUINE “STANDARD SPECIAL”
The Moto Guzzi scrambler tradition dates from the 1960s, when the Eagle brand introduced a series of road-based models adapted for off-road use, largely thanks to a long flat saddle, high exhaust close to the vehicle and knobby tyres. So the new Stornello makes its debut – bearing the legendary name of its predecessor, manufactured from 1960 to 1974 – with the assistance of a solid tradition of more than 50 years and the technical base of the popular V7 II. This bike is an excellent example of Moto Guzzi’s ability to create genuine “standard specials”: collector bikes richly outfitted with exclusive parts and available in a numbered limited edition.
Respect for the Moto Guzzi “knobby” tradition is guaranteed by the Arrow exhaust unit attached close to the right flank of the Stornello, by the spoked rims fitted with type-approved off-roadtyres and by the long saddle with thermo-bonded padding. The bike presents many high-quality aluminium details, such as the mudguards, the off-road footboard kit and the injector covers, as well as the trio of number holders.
The bike is available in an appealing new gloss-finish colour scheme with a red frame and white fuel tank. The standard features include ABS and traction control. The Stornello chassis benefits from all the important improvements successfully introduced on the V7 II, such as the repositioning of engine in the frame – for more on-board space and better weight balance – while the V-twin offers a new improved clutch and six gears.
The overall weight of the V7 II Stornello – just 186 kg – is one of the lowest in the category, so the bike will appeal to a wide public. Like the V9s, the Stornello is available with a rich selection of Moto Guzzi original accessories, including the MG-MP multimedia platform.
WAITING FOR THE MOTO GUZZI MGX-21
“FLYING FORTRESS”:
THE BIKES THAT AMERICANS LIKE
“LOOS’D OF LIMITS AND IMAGINARY LINES, GOING WHERE I LIST, MY OWN MASTER TOTAL AND ABSOLUTE”: THESE TWO LINES FROM “SONG OF THE OPEN ROAD” BY WALT WHITMAN (1819-1892), EXPRESS AMERICANS’ AFFINITY WITH TRAVEL AS A TOTALISING EXPERIENCE OF COMMUNION WITH THE WORLD. TRY AND IMAGINE THE POET’S ASTONISHMENT IF HE WERE TO COME TO THE STURGIS MOTORCYCLE RALLY NEXT AUGUST, WHERE THE MGX-21 WILL LAND ON PLANET EARTH. THIS IS A BIKE THAT REALLY WILL MAKE YOU “LORD OF THE ROAD”
MOTO GUZZI MGX21 teaser
The relationship between Americans and their motorcycles is examined in depth by Robert M. Pirsing (Minneapolis, 1928), author of “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” (1974), a travel diary and philosophical discussion that has become a classic of American literature. The motorcycle captured American hearts, in part because it represents a new, independent lifestyle, a way to experience nature (as compared with the automobile). And it offers an important advantage, says Pirsing: what you see when you're inside a car is almost an extra dose of television, whereas on a motorbike the frame is no longer there and the biker is no longer a spectator but part of the scene.
Which motorcycles do “wandering Americans” favour? It should be said that in a nation with almost 320 million inhabitants and a territory of more than 9 million square kilometres, the motorcycle is more closely associated with travel for pleasure than with commuting, a concept more widespread in Europe.
In American cities, motorists hate having to share highways and traffic lanes with motorcyclists (who are also penalised by a lack of parking space for two-wheelers). Yet at the weekend or in the holiday season, those same stressed motorists lock up their four-wheelers, slip on a leather jacket and helmet, and head off, away from the chaotic cities, towards the lakes, mountains and prairies, crossing more than one interstate border. If possible they do so on a bike with a comfortable seat and handlebar position, calmly chewing up the miles, travelling in a laid-back mood, in total comfort, driven by a powerful engine.
In addition to the national brands, Moto Guzzi bikes – with the enhanced new range of the last few years – are conquering market share: beginning with the new California 1400, a model that first caught the collective imagination of US bikers when the all-Italian “Cali” (V7 850) was used by American police in the 1970s and 1980s. Remember the police escort riding Californias in the opening scenes of the movies “Octopussy” (1983) with Roger Moore (as 007 James Bond). Ten years earlier, Sean Connery was photographed on a Moto Guzzi V7 on the set of “Diamonds are Forever" (1971). Today, actor Ewan McGregor is a devoted fan of the Italian brand and the perfect testimonial.
Moto Guzzi Eldorado and Ewan McGregor
A new California, but also a new Eldorado (another legend from the 1970s), back today in a super-tech 1400cc version; competing with them for the road is a new custom bike, the dark and muscular Audace.
The new V7 II range too is making a name for itself in the States, where it conquered the cover of the December issue of “Men’s Journal”. This is the ideal two-wheeler for men or women taking their first steps in the motorcycle world, with a choice between the Stone, Racer and Scrambler versions.
So in winning the hearts and minds of American bikers, Moto Guzzi already have many strings to their bow. You might think that would be enough. You'd be wrong!
TO CROSS THE STATES YOU NEED A “FLYING FORTRESS”
The MGX-21 is the most anti-conformist, fully featured and technological of the larger 1400 cruisers built by Moto Guzzi in Mandello del Lario. Known as “The Flying Fortress”, the technological flagship of the Moto Guzzi cruisers is superlatively equipped, a truly stunning bagger. So how did the most spectacular Moto Guzzi giant of all time come into being?
Miguel Galluzzi, director of the Piaggio Advanced Design Center (see him in the photo below) tells us about the origins of the new bagger: “How would we see ourselves if we wanted to cross an entire continent on the saddle of a Moto Guzzi? That was the first question we asked and the immediate answer was, on a California 1400, a classic that has just been given a makeover. But we wanted to push our thoughts and dreams further, and take a leap into the future.
We tried imagining a different way of travelling, a cooler way, as the Americans would say. And we imagined Moto Guzzi designing and building a bagger. What would it be like? How could a project like this draw on the best Italian design?
So our thoughts and inspiration turned to Italy's masters and masterpieces of design, for example Bertone and his extraordinary Alfa Romeo BATs from the 1950s, when the mad Italians interpreted Americans’ fondness for extreme shapes such as fins and translated the most daring dreams into precious metal, achieving a magisterial blend of Italian creativity and American pragmatism.
And of course we thought of those endless spaces, those roads travelling straight off into the distant horizon, those speed records grabbed on salt flats, of travel without a destination and without borders. An indistinct image began taking shape, and the MGX-21 Flying Fortresswas born.”
NEW ENTRIES FOR 2016:
A NEW VERSION OF THE APRILIA RSV4
AND “FACTORY WORKS”
UPDATE FOR THE RSV4, THE QUEEN OF THE SUPERBIKES: THE RR AND RF GET “SUPERPOLE” GRAPHICS, A MORE EFFECTIVE REAR SUSPENSION AND THE V4-MP MULTIMEDIA PLATFORM AS A STANDARD FEATURE. APRILIA MAKES THE NOALE RACING DIVISION’S CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE FOR CUSTOMERS, WITH THE APRILIA RACING “FACTORY WORKS” MOTORBIKES
The RSV4 R-FW “MISANO”: a demo version showing what can be achieved with the “Factory Works” program and representing the entry level for the W-SBK line
RSV4 2016: THE SUPERBIKE BENCHMARK IS APRILIA
The Aprilia RSV4 RR and RSV4 RF are the ultimate for bikers looking for a supersports two-wheeler. The Aprilia RSV4 is the Italian 1,000cc V4 that dominated the FIM Superstock Cup, a championship for close-to-spec bikes, in its debut year, winning the Manufacturer and Rider titles with Lorenzo Savadori, having already won seven World SBK championship titles. The Aprilia RSV4 RF is the richest and most advanced version of the Noale superbike, with Öhlins suspensions as a standard feature and forged aluminium wheel rims.
For the 2016 season, it has also gained different Superpole graphics, a new and more effective rear suspension and the V4-MP multimedia platform as a standard feature. The V4-MP is the first time a genuine telemetrics system similar to the system used in top competitions has been installed on a road bike, to interact with the user's smartphone.
With the V4-MP, the Aprilia RSV4 rider can pre-set the bike’s electronic parameters at every point of the track – traction control and anti-wheelie levels for example – to have the ideal settings for each section. The engine and the electronics recently underwent a significant overhaul. The exclusive and widely admired Italian 65° V4 now boasts performance of more than 200 HP, while the APRC electronic systems package has been further upgraded.
APRILIA RACING “FACTORY WORKS”: THE WINNING RACE TECHNOLOGY IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE
At EICMA 2015, Aprilia Racing, the Racing Division that has secured 54 world titles for the Noale manufacturer, presented the “Factory Works" program. This makes the technology developed for the world champion motorcycle available for everyone intending to race in competitions for factory-based two-wheelers or wanting an optimised RSV4 for use on the circuit.
The Aprilia Racing “Factory Works” motorcycles will be developed and made available to customers in accordance with the regulations of the Superstock and Superbike championships in the various countries, with varying levels of preparation on the chassis, electronics and engine, which, in the top configuration, beats the 230 HP threshold. All the versions have been developed from the superlative technical base of the Aprilia RSV4 RR. The model displayed at EICMA 2015 was the Aprilia RSV4 R-FW “Misano”, the entry-level bike in the W-SBK line. In keeping with Aprilia Racing tradition, every component has been optimised to deliver outstanding performance, while maintaining a high general balance and superior reliability.
This is why every Aprilia “Factory Works” bike is a bike that will turn in a great performance at all competitive levels, as well as an achievable dream for bikers who want an exceptional vehicle for the circuit, knowing they are as close as they can get to the sensations experienced by the World Superbike champions.
PIAGGIO GROUP CENTRE STAGE
AT THE INTERNATIONAL MOTORSHOWS
MOTO GUZZI AND APRILIA AT “MOTOR BIKE EXPO”, A DATE WITH THE CUSTOMS AND SPECIALS WORLD; NEW ENTRIES IN THE ALL BRANDS RANGE IN BRUSSELS (AUTO MOTO – 94TH EUROPEAN MOTOR SHOW) AND IN GREATER NOIDA, INDIA (AUTO EXPO –THE MOTOR SHOW 2016)
After the EICMA show in Milan, the Piaggio Group’s new entries for 2016 (also covered in the Product column, ed.) set off for a tour of the other international trade shows. The year began in Brussels, Belgium, at the European Auto Moto Show, where, through the Piaggio Vespa B.v. subsidiary in Breda (Netherlands), the top-of-the-range Moto Guzzi, Aprilia, Piaggio and Vespa two-wheelers were exhibited.
Aprilia Moto Guzzi Piaggio salon Bruxelles 2016
Then, still in January, it was back to Italy for the International Motorcycle Show in Verona, where Moto Guzzi shone with the new V9 and the other new entries for 2016, as well as the full range of custom accessories. In a new departure, the Eagle brand (which this year celebrates its 95th anniversary) is to move into the world of TV talent shows, with a new program on Sky Uno HD dedicated to custom bikes.
Aprilia also had top billing at the International Motorcycle Show with its supersports range and the special racing models based on the RSV4, victor of the 2015 Superstock 1000 FIM Cup. MOTO GUZZI. Visitors at Veronafiere saw the stars of Mandello del Lario, such as the brand new Moto Guzzi V9, the 850cc custom bike available in the V9 Roamer and V9 Bobber versions with distinctive characteristics and personalities; the extraordinary final version of the sumptuous MGX-21 “Flying Fortress”, a bagger powered by the formidable 1400cc V-twin, the V7 II Stornello, an exclusive scrambler interpretation of the best-selling V7 II, as well as the Audace, the most anti-conformist of the great Moto Guzzi cruisers.
Moto Guzzi was also the star in custom bikes. The ideal base for the creation of a special with the Eagle on the fuel tank is the new V7II in the Stone, Special and Racer models, for which Moto Guzzi presented an exceptionally rich variety of custom ideas with more than 120 high-quality parts, all type-approved, which can be combined in different ways. The well-known Dark Rider, Scrambler, Legend and Dapper styles have now been joined by the Guzzi Alce, the Lady Guzzi and the Guzzi Clubber, three new interpretations for the V7 II. The GARAGEMOTOGUZZI.COM custom project also extends to the Moto Guzzi V9 newcomer, which has its own special configurator. A wide choice of high-quality components designed and developed by Moto Guzzi is available for the new mid-range custom bike, to make the V9 Bobber and the V9 Roamer even more exclusive. Details about all the accessories, which are also offered for all Moto Guzzi 1400cc bikes and the other models in the range, can be found in the catalogue, with descriptions of more than 500 accessories and items of clothing, and splendid high-definition photos. The catalogue is a real collector’s item: about 240 pages, printed on 150 g matte coated paper, enhanced by a soft “leather effect” cover. All strictly “Made in Italy”, in keeping with the Moto Guzzi tradition. LORD OF THE BIKES, COMING SOON ON SKY UNO HD. The bike show in Verona also provided the platform for the presentation of a special initiative coming up in March, which will see the Eagle brand enter the talent show world on Sky Uno HD with “Lord of The Bikes”, a contest between the top Italian customisers, competing on the latest bikes from Moto Guzzi. On the Moto Guzzi stand, for his Revolver program on Virgin Radio, DJ Ringo presented the most talented and best known Italian developers to introduce the talent show dedicated to Moto Guzzi and the custom world.
Ringo will be the presenter of “Lord of the Bikes”, the new six-part Sky Uno TV format, where the best preparers will compete to build unique custom bikes. APRILIA. Backed by its 54 world titles and its victory in last year’s Superstock 1000 FIM Cup championship, Aprilia came to the Motor Bike Expo with a stunning exhibit of models for extreme sports lovers based on the RSV4 project (seven World SBK titles from 2010 to 2014). The Aprilia GP truck brought the atmosphere of the paddock to Verona, providing a backdrop for the impressive Noale bikes for sport and the racetrack. They included the new WSTK champion, the unbeatable RSV4 RF, which dominated the 2015 championship for stock close to spec. The exhibit continued with a new entry for 2016: the RSV4 RF Factory Works.
With the new project, Aprilia is making available to everyone the technology that enabled it to win 7 World Superbike championship titles, as well as the championship on its debut in the Superstock category. On request, the perfect RSV4 can now be created for every type of competitive requirement, from a standard bike for weaving between curbs through to the SSTK and SBK versions for professional riders and expert amateurs. Of course, there’s a road model of the RSV4, the RR 2016, the ultimate super sportsbike, the fastest and most refined model currently on the market. Accompanying it is the road version for pure riding pleasure, the Tuono V4 1100 Factory, the most effective and thrilling naked ever. The exhibit ended with the RS4 125, a real sportsbike for young riders, the entry-level model into the Aprilia sports world. IN INDIA. Auto Expo is one of the top international motorshows, attended by the world's leading automobile and motorcycle makers. The India Expo Mart in Greater Noida, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, which hosted the 2016 show, is a huge exhibition ground (235,000 sq.m) and was packed with visitors throughout the five-day event.
The Piaggio Group was present through its Indian subsidiary, PVPL, with a smart stand showing the latest motorbikes and scooters from Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi (and receiving high praise from the press and the public). The spotlight was on the Aprilia SR 150 sports scooter, which made its debut at the Indian motorshow. We’ll tell you more about it soon.
TWO EAGLE-BRANDED MODELS ARE PART OF THE SPLENDID COLLECTION OF VINTAGE MOTORCYCLES (1920s-1940s) IN THE NEW TOP MOUNTAIN CROSSPOINT MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM, IN AUSTRIA'S ÖTZTALER ALPS. THE MUSEUM WILL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON 16 APRIL 2016
The new Top Mountain Crosspoint stands at almost 3,000 metres above sea level: the modern polyfunctional building with its high-profile design houses the motorcycle museum (due to open to visitors on 16 April 2016), the new cabin-lift station, the alpine pass toll station and a restaurant. The official opening ceremony for this prestigious project in the Ötztal valley (Obergurgl-Hochgurgl) took place recently, in the presence of motorcycle racing legend Giacomo Agostini.
Top Mountain Crosspoint Eröffnung
The Top Mountain Crosspoint enhances one of the Alps’ top ski resorts. Among its facilities, the motorcycle museum is particularly close to the heart of the two brothers who designed and built it, Alban and Attila Scheiber. “We’re passionate about this collection of vintage motorbikes,” they say, “and we’re sure it will attract great interest from ski tourists and bikers exploring the pass on their two-wheelers. The museum is dedicated to all biking enthusiasts and is open all year round.” Truly a full immersion in the history of motorcycling, set in a stunning Alpine landscape.
It is no coincidence that the guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the new complex was fifteen-time world motorcycling champion Giacomo Agostini, the greatest competitive motorbike rider of all time, with eight world titles in the 500 class and seven in the 350 class. They say that Giacomo had his first experience with a motorbike at the age of nine, when he decided to “steal” his father's Moto Guzzi "Galletto" for a ride around his hometown. When he reached the town square, he fell off as soon as he stopped: he hadn’t taken account of the fact that he was too short for his feet to touch the ground!
THE MUSEUM COLLECTION: VINTAGE BEAUTIES
Moto Guzzi Typ S BJ, 1942
The motorcycle museum houses a remarkable collection of vintage bikes, mainly from the 1920s and 1930s, made by the most important constructors whose names have gone down in the history of international motorcycling. Among the rare items are two Moto Guzzi bikes: a Typ S BJ from 1942 (currently “bike of the month” on the Mountain Cross Point website) and a Sport 14 BJ from 1928. Their presence in the new high-altitude Motorcycle Museum is a great way to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the Eagle from Mandello del Lario (1921-2016).
MOTO GUZZI MGX-21
AT THE 76TH STURGIS MOTORCYCLE RALLY
The Moto Guzzi MGX-21 is revving up on the horizon in preparation for the 76th Sturgis® Motorcycle Rally™, from 8 to 14 August 2016, in South Dakota (USA). The greatest international rally for motorcycle fanatics of all time, for the last 75 years Sturgis has been the “coolest” date in the season for tens of thousands of bikers from across the United States and from around the world, and a showcase for the most spectacular motorcycles, past and, above all, present. Among them this year will be the futuristic, exclusive, dark, smart and powerful Moto Guzzi MGX-21 bagger, aka “The Flying Fortress”, which will have its first encounter with the asphalt at the big event in Sturgis. The new bike is produced in a limited series; online bookings will open shortly.
Why do people go to the rally in Sturgis, “the legendary city of riders"? To see and be seen; above all, to show off their crazy, exaggerated, super-customised mastodons.
Sturgis Rally Rat's Hole Bike Show 2015
And, of course, to take part in the rides organised during the rally week, as well as the concerts, entertainments, bike shows, races, on-the-road parades, to visit the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame and to view the manufacturer exhibits of motorbikes, accessories and gadgets. Everything that could possibly be of interest to bikers, male and female, is here.
Sturgis 2015 FXR Show in City Park J&P Cycles
Five blocks packed with motorbikes on the Main Street Vibe, blue skies, warm sunny days, breathtaking experiences. This is just a hint of what to expect in Sturgis, located in the Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota.
TEN PLACES TO SEE IN SOUTH DAKOTA
Top 10 Places to Ride in Sturgis
The epic rally is held in an area full of historic and natural attractions you can reach on a motorbike, enjoying a carefree ride along such incredible roads as Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road, Wildlife Loop, Vanocker Canyon Road and Spearfish Canyon, which lead you to surprising destinations: Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, Bear Butte State Park, Badlands, Devils Tower are just some of more memorable locations.
Then there’s Highway 14A, whose broad bends take you to the mining town of Deadwood, and back into the past in places like Hill City, Silver City and Custer. Your imagination takes flight among bison, Lakota Indians and cowboys: this is the “real America”.
LORD OF THE BIKES:
THE FIRST CONTEST FOR CUSTOM BIKE BUILDERS
Ringo, host of LORD OF THE BIKES, at the murals of Moto Guzzi headquarters in Mandello del Lario
COMING SOON STARTING MARCH 22ND, THE FIRST FORMAT TO LAUNCH A CHALLENGE BETWEEN CUSTOM MOTORCYCLE BUILDERS, FEATURING THE MOTO GUZZI V7II SPECIAL AND V9 AS PROTAGONISTS. THE SETTING FOR THE CONTEST WILL BE THE FACTORY AT MANDELLO DEL LARIO, HOME OF THE EAGLE BRAND, WHICH IN 2016 CELEBRATES ITS 95TH ANNIVERSARY
Ringo (center), in Moto Guzzi’s exhibition area at the recent Verona Bike Expo
An event not to be missed is coming soon in Italy – Tuesday March 22nd at 10:00pm on Sky Uno HD – LORD OF THE BIKES, a first-of-its-kind competition format that launches a challenge between motorcycle customization teams, featuring the legendary brand Moto Guzzi, which celebrates its 95th anniversary in 2016, as a central protagonist. LORD OF THE BIKES, a production of Sky Uno and Sunrise, will be hosted by Ringo, a great motorcycle enthusiast and artistic director and host of Virgin Radio, the program’s Media Partner.
The judges will include Filippo Barbacane, a world-famous Italian custom builder and artist who represents the modern myth of Moto Guzzi’s philosophy, as well as Paolo Sormani, a highly respected journalist in the field, and Aryk, an airbrushing and helmet graphics expert with a strong personality.
A Moto Guzzi customized by Officine Rossopuro (Filippo Barbacane), displayed in the garage area at the most recent EICMA show in Milan
10 professional teams will face off with wrenches and strokes of creativity to create the best custom bike. Lord of the Bikes will be a journey full of obstacles, the unexpected, and races against the clock.
Moto Guzzi V7 II Special
In each episode, the 10 teams will reinterpret a Guzzi V7 II Special based on a theme assigned by the judges, while the finalists will compete on the brand new Moto Guzzi V9.
The new Moto Guzzi V9: Bobber and Roamer
The historic Moto Guzzi factory at Mandello del Lario – where the “eagle brand,” known and loved around the world, was founded in 1921 – will host this exciting challenge between custom bike builders with a style that is anything but ordinary, judged by group made up of well-known personalities in the field.
Starting March 22nd, Tuesday nights will be dedicated to entertainment and engines. On Sky Uno Top Gear will be aired at 9:10pm followed by Lord of the Bikes at 10pm. Don’t miss it!
RACING
DOHA, QATAR
APRILIA'S SECOND MOTOGP SEASON KICKS OFF
THE RIDERS ALVARO BAUTISTA AND STEFAN BRADL ON THE TRACK ASTRIDE THE NEW 2016 APRILIA RS-GP. ROBERTO COLANINNO: “APRILIA RACING IS THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL EXPERIMENTATION AND DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM FOR THE ENTIRE PIAGGIO GROUP AND ALL OF OUR PRODUCTS AND BRANDS BENEFIT FROM IT.”
ROMANO ALBESIANO: “THE NEW BIKE REFLECTS RECENT APRILIA RACING TRADITION, REINTERPRETING EVERY CONCEPT WITHOUT COMPROMISE, AND IT IS THE MOST AMBITIOUS PROJECT OUR RACING DEPARTMENT HAS EVER UNDERTAKEN.”
Aprilia Racing - We are ready for MotoGP 2016
Doha (Qatar), 2 March 2016 – The new 2016 Aprilia RS-GP débuts at Losail. From 2 to 4 March the Italian V4 will be on the track for the first time in an official event, the final IRTA tests before the start of the 2016 Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing season.
This will kick off the 2016 MotoGP season for Aprilia Racing.
For the Italian team this is a fundamental step in the project that began in 2015, since the new Aprilia RS-GP is not an evolution of the previous model but an entirely redesigned prototype based on the knowledge gained during the season last year, characterised by experimentation and data acquisition. The new bike is already a milestone in the young and victorious Aprilia racing history: in fact, it is the first true MotoGP bike, entirely designed, developed and built by Aprilia in its every component, beginning with the engine, a unit characterised by its exclusive narrow V4 architecture, the same one that distinguishes the entire supersport line from Noale.
Roberto Colaninno, CEO and Managing Director of the Piaggio Group, had this to say about the new challenge: "From a Group strategy point of view, Aprilia Racing is not just the Aprilia racing team: it is the most advanced technological experimentation and development platform for the entire Piaggio Group from which all of our products and brands benefit. For this reason, from this 2016 season the Piaggio Group logo stands out prominently on the bikes' livery. In fact, the technology developed for racing operations is not intended only for racing, but it also serves the purpose of testing innovative solutions that will then be applied to road-legal products, from supersport bikes all the way to scooters, with the end goal of improving our products in terms of performance, safety and the ability to provide our customers with riding pleasure and fun".
"On the competition level, how can I not remind you of the important results we've achieved so far?" continued Roberto Colaninno. "With our own motorcycle brands, the Group has won 32 out of the 104 world championships ever won in its history in just twelve years. An amazing 28 of these titles were won in one decade by Aprilia, even with riders of the calibre of Max Biaggi and Jorge Lorenzo. The others went to the Gilera brands – with the never-forgotten Marco Simoncelli – and to Derbi, which, among other things, christened an extraordinary champion like Marc Marquez. I would like to wish Albesiano and his team, the riders Bautista and Bradl, and the entire Aprilia Racing staff all the best and a season that will give them and all of the Piaggio Group reasons to be satisfied."
PIAGGIO GROUP: THE MOST VICTORIUS OF ALL TIMES
With 104 World Championships in its collection (54 Aprilia, 15 Moto Guzzi, 21 Derbi, 14 Gilera) the Piaggio Group is the most victorious motorcycle group of all times. Aprilia, born into racing, is the true sports standard-bearer for the Piaggio Group.
With 294 Grand Prix races won in World Championship GP Motorcycle Racing, Aprilia holds the record for the most wins of any European manufacturer in the history of top motorcycle competition. These race wins are joined by 54 world titles: 38 in the World Motorcycle Championship (20 in the 125 class and 18 in the 250 class), 7 in Superbike (double Rider/Manufacturer title in 2010, 2012 and 2014, Manufacturer in 2013) and 9 in the Off Road disciplines (7 in Supermoto and 2 in Trial). The Aprilia trophy case also includes last year's victory in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup with the RSV4 RF ridden on the track by Lorenzo Savadori.
ROMANO ALBESIANO: A SEASON VERY IMPORTANT
“The upcoming season will be a very important one for us", said Aprilia Racing Manager,Romano Albesiano. "The new bike reflects recent Aprilia Racing tradition, reinterpreting every concept without compromise, and it is the most ambitious project our racing department has ever undertaken. The first responses from testing have been positive. We received very positive feedback from both riders specifically from a dynamics point of view. In any case, this is the beginning of a long path and we are well aware of the inevitable difficulties that come along with any new project."
Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl made a fundamental contribution to the development of the new project as they conducted the 2015 "laboratory-season" on the track. Alvaro and Stefan had the chance to familiarise themselves with the 2016 RS-GP during the previous private tests on the Losail circuit, immediately recognising its great potential. The brand new technical package, which is joined by the new tyre supplier and the controlled electronics package, requires an obvious fine-tuning phase before we can arrive at a good level, but the feelings we got during the first two tests make us solidly optimistic about the new season. Albesiano had this to say about the riders, Bautista and Bradl, both confirmed for the 2016 season: "We can count on the contribution of an expert team and two highly motivated riders like Alvaro and Stefan, who immediately realised the importance of our development plan and the great efforts put forth by the racing department. I believe that, after the initial fine-tuning phase, we'll be able to set our sights on respectable results."
ALVARO BAUTISTA: A NEW CHALLENGE
For Bautista (riding the number 19 bike) this is his second full year astride the prototypes from Noale. "This season will be a new challenge, my second year with Aprilia", said Alvaro. We'll be able to rely on our experience from 2015. We aren't starting from zero, but in any case we'll have to develop a completely new bike. I think that Aprilia has very clear ideas about what they can expect this season. In any case, it will be a big challenge because we'll have to work hard on race weekends since we have done very little testing. We'll need to be good at streamlining things. To be honest, it would be nice to be competitive around the mid-season mark. It's difficult to predict now because there are so many things that need to be sorted, but I'm confident because during the winter break Aprilia did a great job with the data gathered in 2015. I'm pumped up and I want to have a good season, getting back into the battle for top positions, but I am under no illusions. With patience, hard work and sacrifice we can do it."
STEFAN BRADL: FIRST CONTACT POSITIVE
Stefan Bradl, riding the number 6 bike, echoed the sentiment: "The first contact with the new bike was definitely positive, despite the fact that it's still too early to take a position. The Aprilia Racing techs did a great job in the right direction. Now our job will be to explore the potential of the RS-GP lap after lap. We really have a lot on our plate, but we also have a wide margin for improvement. Along with the new bike, we also have the new electronics and tyres, aspects that we had already begun working on but that still require a lot of development. We won't be bored, that much is certain. For the first time in my career I'm working on an official team with the job of developing a new project. I think that this is the greatest condition possible for a rider who wants to set his sights on staying out front."
FAUSTO GRESINI: TWENTIETH SEASON IN MOTOGP
2016 will be Gresini Racing's twentieth Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing season: a history that includes two world titles (with Daijiro Kato in 250 in 2001 and Toni Elias in Moto2 in 2010), 42 wins in GP and MotoGP runner-up World Champion titles in three consecutive seasons, from 2003 to 2005.“In recent months, Aprilia Racing staff at Noale and everyone on the Gresini Racing team have put forth an incredible effort on the technical and organisational front", said Team Manager, Fausto Gresini. "We never stopped. We have a great desire to demonstrate our full potential and we are highly motivated as we approach the first Grand Prix. The Aprilia Racing technicians have taken advantage of the experience gained last year and all their precious know-how to create a prototype ready to battle in a MotoGP season that promises to be even more heated and exciting."
Gearbox: Aprilia Racing upshift and downshift seamless, 6 speed cassette.
Lubrication: Dry sump.
Chassis: Aprilia Racing aluminium.
Swingarm: Aprilia Racing aluminium.
Suspensions: Ohlins.
Brakes: Brembo, double front carbon disk 320-340 mm, single rear steel disk 255 mm.
Tyres: Michelin.
RACING
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
THE RIDERS: ALVARO BAUTISTA AND STEFAN BRADL
Alvaro Bautista – Spain – # 19
A rider with vast experience, Bautista – born in Talavera de la Reina on 21 November 1984 – took his first World Championship steps astride an Aprilia 125cc in 2002 as a wildcard, whereas his first complete championship season came in 2003 where he was also crowned Spanish champion in the category. He rode yet another bike from Noale to victory as World Champion in the "eighth litre" class in 2006. In the 250 class he immediately took two wins in his rookie 2007 season, whereas in 2008 he finished as championship runner-up.
In his sixth year in MotoGP and his second with Aprilia, Bautista boasts 3 podiums and one pole position and his trophy case includes a total of 16 wins, 33 podiums and 18 pole positions.
In his sixth year in MotoGP and his second with Aprilia, Bautista boasts 3 podiums and one pole position and his trophy case includes a total of 16 wins, 33 podiums and 18 pole positions.
Stefan Bradl – Germany – # 6
Born in the Bavarian city of Augsburg on 29 November 1989, Stefan Bradl made his début in the 125cc class of Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing in 2005. In 2008 he took two wins and finished the season fourth in the overall standings.
In 2010 he moved to Moto2, a category where he was crowned World Champion in 2011 thanks to four wins. His rookie year in MotoGP came in 2012 astride a Honda, a bike which he would race for two more seasons, with a second place finish as his best result in the 2013 American Grand Prix.
He joined the Aprilia MotoGP project with the 2015 season already underway at the Indianapolis Grand Prix, bringing home his best result at Sepang with a tenth place finish.
The Aprilia RSV4 competitive sport bikes are running on the tracks of the 2016 Superbike World Championship (Motul FIM WSBK), dedicated to bikes derived from production models, and are being raced by riders Alex De Angelis (born in 1984, extensive experience in World Championships, already with Aprilia in 2004 and 2005) and Lorenzo Savadori (born in 1993), current Aprilia champion of the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup; both of them are running with the team colors of Ioda Racing Project.
Alex De Angelis
Lorenzo Savadori
Aprilia-Ioda Racing is a new project, having just begun in recent weeks, and both riders are new to the Aprilia RSV4 for the Superbike, the speeding bullets that boast an impressive list of accolades. Meanwhile, the championship is kicking off at the end of February at Australia’s Phillip Island track.
CLAUDIO CORTI ON THE APRILIA RSV4 RF AT MOTOAMERICA
Another Aprilia RSV4 RF sport bike will also be involved in high-level competitions, namely the North American Road Championship (“MotoAmerica”), raced by the Italian rider Claudio Corti, 28, who boasts extensive experience with motorsport. In fact, he has already raced in the Italian Championship as well as Supersport, Superbike, and MotoGp, and has already won the Superstock 600. This year he will race with HSBK Racing, a team based in Houston, Texas. Corti’s first competition will begin in April, coinciding with the American leg of the MotoGp (Cota, Austin, Texas), with the objective of winning a Superstock 2016 title with stars and stripes.
Sheridan Morais on the Aprilia RSV5 RF (MotoAmerica 2015). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
PALMARES APRILIA WSBK
Max Biaggi on the Aprilia RSV4 Sbk at Sepang, 2015
Anniversary
THE MOTO GUZZI RECORD BREAKER:
LITTLE BIG GUZZINO
THE “MOTOLEGGERA 65” (KNOWN AS THE GUZZINO) WENT INTO PRODUCTION 70 YEARS AGO, IN THE SPRING OF 1946. IT WAS A SMASH SUCCESS ON THE MARKET (EUROPE’S BEST-SELLING MOTORBIKE FOR TEN YEARS) AND A RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMER IN MOTOR-RACING EVENTS. A SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL RALLY IN TURIN ON 5 JUNE 2016
Since 1943, Moto Guzzi had been planning a low-cost vehicle to meet transport needs on the country’s war-shattered roads. The engineers came up with two projects: one for a micromotor for use on a bicycle, the second for a low-displacement lightweight motorcycle. The motor was named Colibrì (humming bird; the prototype is on display in the Moto Guzzi museum in Mandello del Lario), and the motorcycle went into development. Carlo Guzzi assigned the design project to Antonio Micucci, specifying that the motorcycle should have an engine displacement of more than 50cc and high wheels. The first prototypes began to appear in mid-1945: a two-stroke mono-cylinder 65cc cast aluminium engine, with three gears, on a 50mm diameter tube frame. The final version, which would be marketed as the Motoleggera 65,was presented in the spring of 1946.
Motoleggera 65, 1946
The Motoleggera 65 was a simple two-wheeler both in mechanical terms and for the rider, with few controls, all within easy reach, and weighing just 45 kg: it was an immediate success, on the market and on the racetrack. Among the riders who raced with the little Moto Guzzi bike was a young Umberto Masetti, who took it to victory in Reggio Emilia in 1947. The lightweight bike, which was gradually enhanced with innovative additions over the years, was immediately nicknamed the “Guzzino”, the name it is still known by today.
In 1949, Moto Guzzi granted Spain's Hispania Motor a manufacturing licence for the Guzzino. Production was terminated in 1954, after an output of 71,534 bikes, and the Guzzino was replaced by the Cardellino, a model closely related to it.
A Cardellino 65cc from 1955, the heir to the Guzzino
A Moto Guzzi Cardellino 75 Lusso from 1956
THE REMARKABLE 1949 RALLY: REVIVED BY THE CLAN DEL VOLANO
On 5 June 1949, an important rally was organised by Moto Guzzi for owners of the Motoleggera: 14,257 participants came to Mandello del Lario (including Gino Magnani, founder of the Motociclismo magazine, and writer Giovannino Guareschi), from all over Italy as well as Switzerland, Spain and the USA, bringing 12,660 Guzzinos with them. The rally established world records for number of participants, number of vehicles and number of motorcycles of the same brand, type and displacement. Take a look at this rare archive footage (from the historical Italian “Istituto Luce”) on the 1949 rally:
Mandello Lario-Lecco. Il raduno delle moto leggere Guzzi
At the Automotoretrò show at Lingotto Fiere in Turin (12-14 February 2016), the Clan del Volano and the Turin Veteran Car Club presented the “2nd International Motoleggera Guzzi 65 Rally”, displaying a faithful reconstruction of the 1949 Moto Guzzi design office for the fondly remembered Guzzino.
The rally dedicated to the “Guzzino” will be held in Turin on 5 June 2016, the anniversary of the legendary first rally held in Mandello in 1949. Hundreds of bikes are expected and a number of modified two-wheelers will also be there: record-breakers, a racing model, a four-stroke model, a Dondolino version. An event devotees of the eagle brand will not want to miss.
Also in 1949, 25 Guzzino motorbikes (supported by two other Moto Guzzi vehicles: an Airone and an Ercole truck) set off on the Red Arrow Milan-Oslo Rally, a charity event organised by don Carlo Gnocchi and don Andrea Ghetti for young rover-scouts from Lombardy, on the occasion of the 4th World Rover Moot in Skjak, Norway. The Guzzinos used on the trip were fitted with stiffened suspensions and thicker wheel spokes to manage the long journey over the difficult postwar roads, and an extra carrier for the riders’ luggage (this issue's On the Road Memories column has an article about the rally, ed.).
THE GUZZINO, AN INDOMITABLE RACER AND RECORD-BREAKER
Over the years, the Guzzino took part in many motor-racing competitions, in and outside Italy. Some of its most impressive victories were in the 75cc class, with Alberto Cesari and Enzo Rippa, in the Milan-Taranto race in 1950 and 1951, and the Italian Gymkhana Champion title won by Erio Casadei in 1953. The Guzzino also set a series of records. The first was on 28 February 1948 on the Charrat-Saxon road in Switzerland, when Raffaele Alberti broke the kilometre and mile records, from a standstill and at speed, in the 75 class.
On 5 November of the same year, at the Monza Autodrome, Alberti, Gianni Leoni (photo above) and Bruno Ruffo set 19 other world records in the same class. On 14 September 1950, Alberti, Leoni and Ruffo arrived at the Montlhéry Circuit with a torpedo-shaped motorbike, which retained very little of the Guzzino (horizontal cylinder engine), and set or improved an astonishing 24 world records.
CURIOUS FACTS AND TRANSFORMATIONS
Guzzino owners made many custom modifications and adaptations to their motorbikes. One of the most common transformations was to enable transportation of a passenger, possibly with a sidecar, or the “re-invention” of the bike as a pick-up, or with the engine used to power a hoeing machine or blade grinder. A more original realisation was devised by Rino Berton, a race rider in the 1940s and 1950s (and a Moto Guzzi dealer), who came to the 1949 rally in Mandello with a sort of chariot pulled by three Guzzinos lashed together (the vehicle is mentioned in the Istituto Luce video). Other transformations include the "Guzzina", an open-frame version for women, and the kit developed by the Fagnani company of Bergamo in 1953, to convert the Guzzino engine from two strokes to four.
FLORIDA, MARCH 2006:
DUAL TRIUMPH FOR THE MGS-01 CORSA AT DAYTONA
TEN YEARS AGO, GIANFRANCO GUARESCHI RIDING A MOTO GUZZI SECURED TWO VICTORIES IN THE “FORMULA 1” BOTT-BATTLE OF THE TWINS. WHAT BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE THE 85TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EAGLE BRAND, WHICH THIS YEAR MARKS ITS 95TH BIRTHDAY
It was 8 March 2006 when an extraordinary double victory on a Moto Guzzi MGS-01 Corsa completed Gianfranco Guareschi's participation at “Bike Week” at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida: one of the most spectacular classic US races in the AHRMA/Modern Roadrace Classes championship calendar.
The BOTT-Battle of the Twins “Formula 1”, a category with no displacement limits or modification restrictions, saw the standard Moto Guzzi MGS-01 Corsa first past the chequered flag in the two races held on 6 March 2006 (Moto Guzzi winner with Guareschi, ahead of a Ducati 999S and an H-D Sundance) and 7 March, when Moto Guzzi was once again first over the finishing line, ahead of Ducati, Honda and the ambitious Buell XBRR.
Two closely fought races where Italian brands and riders battled it out. The MGS-01 Corsa triumphed thanks to a frame that made the most of the performance of the Mandello twin – which demonstrated once again its extreme versatility and reliability on the racetrack – and the determination of Gianfranco Guareschi, who exploited his bike's special characteristics to the full, riding it to not one but two victories. Guareschi also wanted to make his name with the MGS-01 Corsa in the “Sound of Thunder” category, whose regulation also admits superbikes; he finished second, out-racing many other strong and emblazoned competitors.
“It’s always great to win, but coming first with a Moto Guzzi bike is a fantastic feeling: you immediately feel the admiration and love of the public for the bike and the brand,” said Gianfranco Guareschi after his historic triumph.
“It was my first time at Daytona, and I came to the International Speedway with the intention of winning. I thought I would be racing against “easier” opponents and bikes, but instead I found myself up against tough riders and bikes like the official Buells and the Ducati Superbike. But I was very concentrated and motivated, and the MGS-01 was a fantastic racing companion. I’m really grateful to Moto Guzzi for the support they gave me on my adventure at Daytona, and above all for creating a racing bike like the MGS-01,” added the Italian rider.
THE MGS-01 CORSA: WHAT A BIKE! The MGS-01 (part of the Moto Guzzi range ten years ago) was an off-road circuit bike, which at Daytona, in front of an American audience and against the fiercest rivals, thanks to Guareschi won a race regarded as the cream of world motorcycling, just like the Moto Guzzi brand.
The MGS-01 Corsa was exclusively for use on the racetrack, built by Moto Guzzi with the care of the craftsman, and intended for true sports connoisseurs. It was equipped with the 4-stroke, 4-valve, air-cooled 90° V-twin engine, with 1,225cc displacement, a powerful performer at all revs. Ohlins suspensions, Cosworth pistons and Brembo brakes completed the top-level features of a bike whose victory at Daytona won it a place in the hall of fame of Moto Guzzi international racetrack winners.
1949 MILAN-OSLO:
ADVENTURE FOR THE SCOUTS ON 25 GUZZINI MOTORBIKES
THE RALLY, CHRISTENED THE “RED ARROW” BECAUSE OF THE COLOUR OF THE MOTO GUZZI 65CC BIKES, CARRIED A MESSAGE OF PEACE FOR CHILDREN ACROSS POSTWAR EUROPE, TO MARK THE 20TH WORLD SCOUT MEETING. THE EVENT IS COMMEMORATED IN A BOOK WITH A FOREWORD BY FEDERICA MOGHERINI, THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Summer 1949: the Milan scouts on Moto Guzzi motorcycles ride down the Champs-Elysées in Paris
This year, Moto Guzzi celebrates its 95th anniversary (1921-2016) as well as the 70th anniversary of the Guzzino, a historic model of the Mandello del Lario brand. The dual event is an excellent opportunity to remember the Milan-Oslo motorcycle rally organised in the summer of 1949 by the presbyter, educator and writer Don Carlo Gnocchi (1902-1956), with the Milan scouts headed by Don Andrea Ghetti. The adventure was known as the “Red Arrow” because of the colour of the 25 “Guzzini” 65cc motorbikes that, in that postwar summer, set off from the Lombardy capital to travel to Scandinavia. The riders carried messages of peace to the European nations along the more than 1,900 km route, in the name of the innocent victims of the war:above all the children who had been left orphaned or disabled, and were receiving assistance from Don Gnocchi’s federation for infancy.
On 17 July1949, 25 Guzzi Motoleggere 65cc motorcycles revved up and set off from Milan for Skjåk (Norway), behind a Moto Guzzi Airone carrying two Moto Guzzi mechanics, with an Ercole truck bringing up the rear. The motorbikes were ridden by scouts from the “Rocchetta” Asci Milano 1 pack and from other packs in Lombardy. The occasion was the “World Scout Moot”, a meeting held every four years for youngsters aged between 16 and 20 in the Scout movement. This was the first moot since the end of the Second World War, and took reconciliation as its theme. At the time, the project was nothing short of sensational: taking a group of youngsters, many of whom had never been on a motorcycle before, hundreds of miles across Europe, on uncertain roads, through the devastation left by the war, was a formidable undertaking.
Cheered on by public opinion and the press, and sponsored by a number of companies, including Moto Guzzi, the “Milan-Oslo Rally” was a great success: it bore a message of peace and brotherhood to nations that only a few years earlier had been at war with one another. It was also a “prophetic” initiative heralding the idea of a “united” Europe that was just beginning to emerge.
THE STORY AND PROTAGONISTS IN A BOOK, WITH A FOREWORD BY FEDERICA MOGHERINI
A group of Rovers and Scouts from the AGESCI, the Italian association of Catholic scouts and pack leaders, and the Zenit Busto Arsizio 3 pack met some of the people who took part in the journey to Norway. They conducted interviews and collected previously unpublished materials: photos, postcards, newspapers and letters, which have now been put into a book, entitled “La Freccia Rossa. 1949: diary of a scout adventure across Europe”, and edited by Federica Frattini, with Andrea Padoin and Piero Gavinelli (TiPi Edizioni, 2015). The book was presented in October 2015, at the Alessi Room in Palazzo Marino, Milan, with the support of Federica Mogherini, the patronage of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement and a contribution from the Don Gnocchi foundation. The intention is to promote a fresh idea of civic commitment and a vision of peace, something the world still badly needs today.
In her foreword, Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, writes: “Sixty years have passed since a united Europe took its first steps... for the first time the citizens of our continent shared a common desire: for Europe never to be at war again. European integration is the answer to that desire. It was this determination that led the scouts involved in the initiative recounted in this book to set off, with their pack leaders, through the wounded heart of Europe. A small red caravan riding through cities in ruins and burned forests... what an incredible experience it must have been for the twenty-five lads of the “Red arrow of goodness” to meet their French, German and Norwegian peers... all of them working together for peace. It was a symbolic trip, but it had a very tangible goal: to help the smallest and most defenceless members of society: the children who had been left disabled by the war. I am also struck by the fact that during their journey, the scouts met the leaders of the Council of Europe, which had been formed just a few months earlier. It was already clear then that the only way to avoid a new war was cooperation among all our nations. Reading this story gives us an insight into how our Union was created. And it reminds us that we can all make a contribution. Those lads were not much more than 18 years old. They didn't wait to “grow up”, they got on their bikes (literally, ed.). They knew that peace is everyone’s responsibility. As much today as seventy years ago.”
Source illustrations and extract from the foreword:
ON THE ROAD
THE GREEN WEEKEND
WITH THE MOTO GUZZI STELVIO 1200
FROM THE SWISS JURA TO ALSACE IN FRANCE AND INTO GERMANY’S BLACK FOREST: THREE DAYS IMMERSED IN STUPENDOUS SCENERY
Three days on a Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200 for a memorable trip through the Swiss Jura and Alsace, also venturing into Germany's Schwarzwald, the Black Forest. The “Green Weekend” adventure was devised by reporter Giorgio Di Marco, an expert in motorcycle travel and a passionate Guzzi biker. His “proposal” is an excellent way to immerse oneself in nature, surrounded by stunning landscapes, mountain plains, lakes and charming villages. Here is his video, which has attracted many admiring comments.
Green Weekend on Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200
Jura, Switzerland
Alsace, France
Black Forest, Germany
Giorgio has his own YouTube channel – Gioraid Channel – where he posts his fascinating and well-made travel videos documenting places and itineraries, and providing ideas for bikers who can't wait to get their motorcycles out of the garage and answer the immediate question: where shall we go this weekend? Giorgio’s green tour is highly recommended. If you have few extra days of holiday, take a look at his videos to choose your next destination.
Gioraid Youtube Channel
Starting from Switzerland where he lives, our Guzzi biker Giorgio Di Marco has made many trips on his Moto Guzzi bike: Malta, Norway, Spain, Iceland, Greece, Ireland are just some of the places he’s visited, eating up the miles and meeting up with other Guzzi devotees at rallies around Europe. His constant travel companion is his trusted Stelvio.
Giorgio tells us about himself on his website: “I consider myself a traveller: in my short life, I've already toured half of the world. I began travelling round Europe by train when I was 18, then by car, then I began flying to other continents, chiefly south-east Asia and Australia, where, on my second trip I stopped for 9 months... While I was in Sydney I dreamt about going home on a motorbike. But it wasn’t possible and I flew home. As soon as I got back, I bought a Guzzi NTX 650, which I still have, and dreamed about going back to Australia on it. Over the years, I’ve travelled a great deal on a motorbike, especially in Europe (on a Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200, ed.), and riding to the other side of the world is still a dream, which perhaps I’ll achieve one day.”
Some of Giorgio Di Marco’s trips on a Moto Guzzi bike
AND FRANÇOIS ON A STELVIO NTX ON THE CIRCUIT IN AUSTIN, TEXAS
Then there are people like François F., who, on his Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX, actually rode a lap round the Circuits of the Americas racetrack in Austin, Texas, which hosts the US Grand Prix for Formula 1 world championship cars and MotoGP two-wheelers. The Guzzi biker has produced an “on-board” video clip on the “world” circuit. Let's enjoy it.
Moto Guzzi Stelvio laps around COTA
STYLE
NEWS:
ROY ROGER’S MOTO GUZZI
CAPSULE COLLECTION
The new capsule collection, for the modern man who wants genuine, high-quality products, celebrates the cooperation agreement between two historic brands “Made in Italy”: Roy Roger’s and Moto Guzzi. The legendary, strictly hand-assembled Italian twin-cylinders have been produced in the Mandello del Lario factory since 1921. Today, they represent a perfect synthesis of tradition and technological innovation. The new apparel collection coincides with the 95th anniversary of the superior motorcycle brand.
It offers perfectly designed garments of impeccable style, with great attention to detail and the quality of the materials. Items include:
t-shirts with printed logos, in grey melange jersey;
a black denim jacket: a classic 1960s model in black denim;
a field jacket with a military inspiration chosen specifically to represent a travel theme, in black waxed cotton. The lining is printed with the R of the Tuscan brand and the Moto Guzzi’s “V” engine;
jeans: a 5-pocket model in stone-washed black denim;
shirt: a classic Roy Roger's western model in black chambray, consistent with the collection’s colour palette;
leather jacket: inspired by a vintage Roy Roger’s garment, in black calf leather.
The new collection is certainly not intended as a technical range exclusively for motorcyclists; it includes passepartout garments that can be worn every day, in your free time and on a hundred occasions to stand out from the crowd and proclaim one's love for the unmistakeable Roy Rogers’s and Moto Guzzi styles. “I’ve always had a passion for motorcycles and have my own collection,” says Roy Roger’s creative director Guido Biondi. “Going out on a bike is a way to leave the pressures of daily life behind and enjoy a freedom that is often a source of inspiration for my collections.”
PREVIEW IN FLORENCE AT PITTI IMMAGINE UOMO
During the international Pitti Immagine Uomo show (2016-2017 autumn-winter collections), a successful event was held on 12 January 2016, at the Roy Roger’s Store in Via Calimala 27r in central Florence (near Piazza della Signoria): “Capsule Collection preview & motorcycles exhibition”.
The public and the press responded warmly to the preview presentation of the apparel collection at the Florentine store, enhanced with an outdoor display of splendid Moto Guzzi bikes (organised by the Fani Motors dealer), including the new V9 Bobber and V7 II Stornello.
The capsule collection Roy Roger's Moto Guzzi will be available to the public from September 2016.
Community
MOTO GUZZI NATIONAL OWNERS CLUB:
THE AMERICAN FANS OF THE EAGLE MARQUE
The Moto Guzzi National Owners Club (MGNOC) is an international club for owners of Moto Guzzi bikes and devotees of the marque. Created in the USA in the 1970s (when the Moto Guzzi Ambassador 750cc made its debut as the bike of choice of the Los Angeles police department), the club now has more than 3,200 members from 50 states, a number of Canadian provinces and other countries around the world. It also has a European division. The MGNOC organises rallies of all sizes: its top annual event is the “MGNOC National Rally”; the 2016 rally, the 45th, will be held in Oregon, from 23 to 25 June.
2015 MGNOC
The various clubs (in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin) organise meetings every month, usually on Saturday or Sunday, with lunch and brunch. Comradeship, friendship, devotion to the Italian marque: these are the distinguishing characteristics of the Guzzi bikers from America and elsewhere who belong to the national club directed by Frank Wedge. Through the newsletter and the website, fans swap technical information and tips on Moto Guzzi models, travel ideas, results of road tests on current and vintage models. The majority, says Frank Wedge, are active bikers who ride thousands of miles during the year.
“My wife and I organised our first national rally, and it was held north of Manhattan, in Kansas, in the summer of 1972. Over the next seventeen years, the rally was organised in Kansas. After that, it took place in West Virginia (1994), Arkansas (1995), Washington State (1996), Iowa (1997) and West Virginia (1998). In 1999 it was held in New Mexico, 20 miles south-east of Taos,” says Frank, who, with Dennis Sterlace, launched the idea of a club devoted to Moto Guzzi more than 45 years ago. Over the decades, the club has grown continually, keeping the Mandello eagle flying high in the USA. MGNOC RALLY CALENDAR 2016: March 4-13, FLORIDA BIKE WEEK CAMPOUT - LAKE MONROE PARK; April 1-3, CENTRAL FLORIDA MOTO GUZZI CAMPOUT; April 14-17, MARYLAND/DC'S ANNUAL SPRING CAMPOUT; April 15-17, MGNOC LOUISIANA RALLY; May 5-7, NORTH CAROLINA GUZZI SPRING CAMPOUT; May 28, NEBRASKA MGNOC OPEN GARAGE; June 2-4, 45TH ANNUAL KANSAS MOTO GUZZI RALLY - COUNCIL GROVE, KANSAS; June 17-18, MINNESOTA MOTO GUZZI RALLY; June 17-19, NEBRASKA MGNOC STEVE LINGG MEMORIAL CAMPOUT; June 23-25, 45TH ANNUAL MGNOC NATIONAL RALLY - GRANT COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, JOHN DAY, OREGON; June 24-26, VIRGINIA STATE MOTO GUZZI RALLY; July 8-10, 25TH MGNOC IOWA RALLY; August 5-7, 2016 MASSACHUSETTS MGNOC RALLY; August 5-7, MOTO GUZZIS IN THE BLUE RIDGE CAMPOUT; August 18-21, NEW MEXICO STATE RALLY - DATIL, NEW MEXICO.
Aprilia is one of the most successful names in the history of motorcycle racing, with an impressive 54 world titles (28 secured in the last ten years since it joined the Piaggio Group), and it is determined to go on winning. In 2015, it went back on to the MotoGP circuits and the Aprilia Racing Team spent an intense “trial” year on the development of a competitive motorbike that will make its debut in the 2016 championship. The motorcycle will be “the outcome of a completely new project”, says Romano Albesiano, manager of the Aprilia racing division. This video presents the highlights of the 2015 racing season, showing how much work, passion and team spirit goes into every race, and how much technological innovation is tested on the racing circuit (for subsequent use in the development of road bikes). So, with resources and energy focused on the MotoGP championship, 2016 will be the year of Aprilia’s “true” return to the premier racing class.
Aprilia Racing - 2015 season
MY BIKE MOVIE
EASY COOK:
RECIPES ON THE ROAD
Emanuele Fabiano and Laura Pagani are a couple of bikers with a passion for two-wheel travel and good food. Their first rallies were on 50cc vehicles (such as the Vespa 50 PK). In 2000, Laura began riding a Gilera Arizona 125, while Emanuele joined the Moto Guzzi world with the purchase of a Florida 650. Later, they both rode the California Special Sport, and now she has a Griso and he has a Norge. And over the years they have never stopped travelling, alone, together, with friends. Their wanderlust has taken them far and wide – to Armenia, Norway, Spain and Portugal, Poland, the Baltic republics, Bosnia, Romania, Bavaria, Sweden and Finland, Tunisia – and given them the opportunity to take part in extreme rallies such as the Elefantentreffen and the Fjordrally.
“Travel is our greatest passion: we love visiting other countries and continents, meeting new people, experiencing different cultures... our life would be empty without this hunger to discover the world!” say Lele and Laura on “Moto5Stagioni”, their website packed with travel snaps and interesting information. The site also includes an “Easy Cook” section, where Laura suggests “quick and easy recipes, for picnics when you’re out on a bike trip”. One is the tasty “Guzzi Frittata”, ingredients (for two people): 3 eggs, 2 carrots, 75 g of diced smoked bacon, 1 teaspoonful of flour, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, onion. In this clip, Laura shows us how to make the frittata and the end result.
Easy Cook, the new cooking experience, Frittata Guzzi
Video’s English translation: “Today we’re cooking a frittata, a sort of omelette. I've called it the “Guzzi Frittata”, because we've come to the Mandello del Lario park to eat it. The ingredients for two people are: 3 eggs, a little bacon, grated cheese, some onion, a teaspoon of salt and pepper, a teaspoon of flour, and grated carrot. I’ll just finish grating the carrot. First, beat the eggs. Then mix in the flour smoothly. Add the grated cheese. Now we add the onion, the bacon, I’m using smoked bacon, and the grated carrot. At the end, add the salt and pepper, and mix well. Now we pour the mixture into a non-stick pan, and spread it out evenly. I’m using a special frittata pan, which makes it very easy to turn the frittata over. Put it on the heat. When the frittata lifts off the pan, then it’s ready to be turned over. Let’s see how our frittata has turned out. Bellissima! It’s ready Lele, I hope it's good! I’ve put all the rubbish in here, not that there was much, and I’ll throw it away in the bin, to make sure we leave the park as we found it.”
For the monthly Italian magazine “Mototurismo” ( www.mototurismo.it), Lele and Laura write fascinating reports about their travels on their Moto Guzzi Griso and Norge bikes in Italy and abroad, complete with videos (broadcast on the MototurismoTV channel, and on YouTube): the series is called “Lele and Laura: Our roads”. The example here is the clip from their trip to the Camargue in France:
For true bikers, their motorcycle, whatever its age, is a cult object to be treasured, cared for and kept proudly for years; a faithful companion for travel and adventure. The WIDE feature “My Bike Movie” is dedicated to everyone who rides off to work on a brand new bike in the morning, to everyone who fondly conserves a bike handed down in the family from generation to generation, to everyone who lovingly cherishes a vintage motorcycle.
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